Rating and value of works, paintings, drawings by John Constable

If you own a work by or after John Constable, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your work, and provide you with a precise estimate of its current market value. Then, if you wish to sell your work, we'll guide you towards the best possible arrangement to obtain the optimum price.

Rating and value of the artist John Constable

The artist John Constable left behind a body of work characteristic of Romantic painting, famous for his canvases and drawings. From then on, prices for his works rose under auctioneers' gavels. His paintings are particularly prized, especially by English buyers. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €10 to €24,852,000, a considerable range, but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to Constable's works. The Lock, an oil on canvas depicting a landscape sold for €24,852,000, its low estimate.

Order of value from a simple work to the most prestigious

Style and technique of the artist John Constable     

John Constable was a 19th-century painter of the Romantic movement. He is particularly famous for his landscape and marine paintings, which depict both war scenes and the daily lives of sailors in peacetime. He produced engravings, drawings and oils on canvas. 

John Constable, father of English painting

John Constable (1776-1837) was an English painter born in East Bergohlt.

His family is very well-to-do, and the region where he lives is even called "Constable country". His father intended him to join the orders, but eventually asked him to take over the family business from his older brother. In 1975, his father agreed to his moving to London to study at the Royal Academy. There he met Joseph Farington, who was to be his teacher for the rest of his career. He was also influenced by Benjamin West, who gave him advice on the representation of light and shadow in painting. He studied the compositions of Turner, Rembrandt and Rubens. He was greatly influenced by early Netherlandish paintings. From 1810 onwards, he exhibited his work at the Royal Academy on a fairly regular basis. Ten years later, he became an associate member of the Academy.

He moved to London in 1817, where he produced some very large-format works. The White Horse, one of his large-format works, led to his election to the Royal Academy. He used the same process as Théodore Géricault, elevating the genre scene to history painting (the highest category in the hierarchy of genres), through the dimensions of his painting. Géricault, along with Delacroix, became interested in Constable's painting. His success in France also contributed to his fame in England.

His wife Maria died of tuberculosis after giving birth to seven children in 1828. Immediately afterwards, he made a series of bad investments that ruined him. He continued to paint throughout his life, however, and is today considered a major figure in English painting.

Constable's imprint on his time

Constable painted landscape and marine scenes throughout his career, and his works are now held in museums and art collections around the world. He leaves behind an important legacy as a marine and landscape painter.

He influenced many artists after him, including Richard Parkes Bonnington, Eugène Louis Gillot, Eugène Isabey and Alfred Sisley.

Today, private collectors play a major role in preserving his work.

Recognizing the artist's signature

Not all the painter's works are signed. However, with or without a mention, it is important for you to have the work appraised to ensure its originality and to be able to date it. Of course, there are also copies.

Knowing the value of a work

If you happen to own a work by or after John Constable, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using the form on our website. A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your work, as well as any relevant information about it. If you wish to sell your work of art, our specialists will also be on hand to offer you alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market trends.